Prioritize transport connectivity, dock and yard capacity, racking and automation readiness, service-level agreements for order accuracy and lead times, and SLA-backed carrier access. Also evaluate local labor skillsets, scalability of footprint, IT integrations (WMS/API), and total landed cost projections for inbound/outbound flows.

Model landed cost per order including storage, handling, outbound freight, and transit days. Compare average carrier zones served from each hub, percent on-time delivery, and inventory-days-to-ship. Include lower occupancy costs and potential regional last-mile discounts to quantify net improvement.

Expect scalable pallet and bin storage, short-term overflow space, pick-and-pack optimization, kitting/assembly, returns handling, and seasonal labor scaling. Ensure the 3PL offers real-time WMS visibility, flexible billing, and contingency plans for surge volumes.

Assess the 3PL’s carrier contracts and local linehaul coverage, frequency of departures, consolidation services, and LTL vs FTL capabilities. Look for proven routing to key industrial markets, hub transshipment performance, and transparent freight tendering processes.

Perform site audits, validate insurance and compliance, test WMS integrations and EDI/API connectivity, request reference checks for similar clients, run a pilot SKU set to measure SLA performance, and build detailed go-live and contingency plans covering labor, IT, and carrier disruption scenarios.